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This rumor has been floating around for years. If you're getting robbed and forced to take out money at an ATM, you can alert police by entering your PIN in reverse, but still get the money out so the bad guy is none the wiser. The locally based Snopes.com calls the rumor false and gives a history of the technology, which was first patented in 1994 by a Chicago businessman, but hasn't found an real-world use. Even a bill related to the idea went through the Kansas legislature but never became law. However, the LA Times reports today that Councilman Greig Smith, in his new role as chairman of the Public Safety Committee, wants to explore the technology in light of teenager Lily Burk's murder. She was killed after attempting to withdraw money from ATMs with a credit card (it never worked). Smith says the technology would cost $25 per ATM to install. If this technology were to become citywide, ATM robberies would likely become seldom, or at least and unfortunately, more efficient.
Councilman Wants an Urban Legend to become an Urban Truth
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Begley is a raving nutball and he is dead wrong. StrokerMcgurk
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Is it just me or does this article/concept makes no sense at all. What if your PIN is a palindrome, you'd have no reverse number? Also, doing this would essentially give you two PIN numbers, doubling the chance of it being hacked. Additionally what does the author mean by "history of technology"? Or, "Even a bill went through the Kansas legislature but never made became law."? What does this mean: "ATM robberies would likely become less seldom, or at least and unfortunately, more efficient."?
How about making an "alert the police" button on ATMs instead? Something that could be pressed quickly and subtly.
mgn99, Its not just you. This is the STUPIDEST story laist.com has ever put up.
Actually, studpidest story may well be *ANY* fire coverage (seeing how it is wall to wall on TV, including the national news) followed by the story last year of the two planes crashing into each other ....Corona...which is "LA" only in the loosest of terms. Again, wall to wall coverage by every news channel only to have it recycled here.
I think this is a legit story - just a misguided idea by this councilman - how many teenagers(? - or anyone for that matter) is going to remember this when a broken bottle is held to their throat? What is the ATM going to do? Spit out money and call the cops? Just call the cops? Eat your card to "protect" you further?
I believe the quote, "ATM robberies would likely become less seldom, or at least and unfortunately, more efficient," is saying that a possibility exists in which those committing the robberies will simply evolve their tactics which will in turn bypass this technology.
I think I understood what he was trying to say but less seldom means more often, thanks to the double negative.